Fashion Transition, the Rise of Recommerce

Fashion Transition, The Rise of Recommerce

It’s fall, which means that it’s officially time to start the fall transition. Transition dressing is always tricky. Sudden dips in temperature, unexpected heatwaves, and contrasting temperatures between indoors and outdoors can make the switch between seasons a miserable time. Layers are always a good idea, but we’re dressing our autumn inspiration in easy dresses that focus more on paying homage to the end of summer rather than worrying about the cooler weather ahead. Fall layers are key, but don’t forget to embrace the beauty inherent in the change of seasons. Scroll on for our autumn-inspired fashion!

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target, 2013

Speaking of transitions, the fashion industry is also transitioning to accept the rise of recommerce and previously owned goods. If you remember from our A Sense of Forever editorial, we’ve been talking about how the rise of recommerce has given clothing a sense of forever. All the looks in this article were bought through recommerce sites, except for some of the shoes. Shopping previously-owned clothing opened my eyes to an unfamiliar, and yet rewarding, way of viewing fashion. Retail isn’t dead, not by a long shot, but with the explosive growth of recommerce sites like The Real Real, Thredup, and even popular brands getting in on the resale market like Eileen Fisher, repurposed and previously owned clothing may just be the way of the future. Recommerce may not replace shiny and new fashion, but it’s certainly becoming a market to be reckoned with.

Asos Dark Floral Dress

The idea of resale is not a new one, especially for the thrift and consignment shops, which have been around since the 1900’s. For netizens, Craiglist and eBay represent old-school digital re-sell sites. But recently, fashion’s dictatorial overlord, the luxury market, has joined in on the fun, which of course means that recommerce as a concept is the new buzz. With concerns like counterfeiting, fears of diluted brand value, and a lack of control over goods, luxury brands have often painted resellers as the bad guys in the industry. However, as fashion begins to get serious about tackling sustainability issues, as well as looking for ways to tap into those younger Millennial and Gen Z consumers, implementing a recommerce strategy might be a path for staying relevant. After all, if the luxury market wishes to attract younger buyers who have the potential to be future customers, they must create both awareness and understanding of their value proposition to these consumers. At this writing, the secondary luxury market accounts for 10% of the luxury market and is projected to reach $6 billion in sales this year.

Top by United Colors of Benetton, Skirt: Victoria Beckham

This, of course, couldn’t happen without a shift in consumer thinking. Due to a phenomenon called “Secondary Behavior”, consumers are now more willing to reuse, repair, recycle, gift and resell. This is especially true for younger generations, who are concerned with the circularity of economy and sustainable issues.

J. Crew

Recommerce hasn’t hit its peak yet, but it’s well on the way. So, as we begin our own transition to fall, take a moment to consider reselling summer clothes and even adding some nice fall cardigans to your wardrobe through the power of recommcerce!

There’s a lot more to this topic, check out the articles that helped to inform this article.